Hong Kong | Living the Life | Practising Religion

People of all faiths can find somewhere to worship in Hong Kong, and our relocation guide lists the main centres for each faith

In contrast with the avowedly secular mainland, Hong Kong is a city with a lively and thriving religious life, with no barriers to worship and a range of different faiths practised. Unsurprisingly in a city with hundreds of Taoist or Buddhist temples, perhaps a third of the population are adherents to local gods, and many more maintain some connection with their traditional religion, perhaps leaving small offerings to the god of choice at key moments in their life or in gratitude for good fortune. They may not talk about their beliefs (particularly to foreigners) all that much, but these beliefs may be deeply held nonetheless. Don’t make the mistake of assuming it’s all part of the past at this stage. Confucianism, while not exactly a religion, is a philosophy that also deeply colours cultural attitudes.

Of the vast array of gods, Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Sea, is the most venerated, followed by Kwan Tai, the God of War. Read what you will into Hong Kong’s history from that. It would be a mistake of course to think that Taoism and Buddhism are the same thing, and there are certainly distinct believers in both, as well as many individual temples. However, it’s also fair to say that a lot of people hold loosely to both faiths and that Taoist temples demonstrate Buddhist influence. The result for visitors to temples is an array of colourful gods masterfully depicted in statue form, and magnificent Buddhas – most famously the giant Buddha at Po Lim Monastery on Lantau Island, a big tourist destination.

The British brought Christianity with them in 1841, and it has long spread to the Chinese population – Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang, for example, is a practising Catholic. Later waves of colonial immigration brought Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs and more. It’s not difficult to find somewhere to worship here, and some churches and temples produce their own newspapers; there’s also a long tradition of private faith-based schools, particularly Christian, with a reputation for academic excellence. Christian and other religious institutions are also deeply involved in community work and social endeavours.

In terms of numbers, estimates are about 700,000 practising Buddhists and Taoists and nearly as many Christians, split evenly between Protestants and Catholics. There are about 90,000 Muslims, though this number may in fact be higher due to unreported residents, for example Indonesian domestic workers. Hindus (40,000), Sikhs (8,000) and Jews (3,000-4,000) make up the rest of the major communities.

See listings below for places of worship that serve the foreign community here, or places that offer historical background or more information about observing your faith in Hong Kong. Note that this is just a sample of the religious options available, and that service times can change, so call to check. Times are for English-language services or opening times where appropriate.

Catholic

Catholic Centre Hong Kong

Information, bookstore and social center for the city’s Catholics, as well as a chapel. See website for full list of services.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel